Definition of Ghayb
The
(literal) meaning of the word “Ghayb” is a concealed thing. Ghayb is something
that is hidden from us and we cannot know it by means of our five senses, i.e.
seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching. Moreover, it cannot be
comprehended by thinking and pondering. (Summarised from:
Tafseer Baydawi, vol. 1, pp. 114) For example, Heaven and Hell etc., are Ghayb for us
at the present time because we cannot know them with our senses (i.e. eyes,
nose, ears, etc.).
Belief
Allah
Almighty has blessed our Beloved Nabi صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ with the
knowledge of the period from the first day to the last. Allah Almighty has
blessed the Holy Rasool صَلَّی
اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ with all the knowledge
mentioned in the Lawh-e-Mahfuz. Moreover, Allah Almighty has blessed the Holy
Rasool صَلَّی
اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ with enormously wide and
vast knowledge about His Being and Attributes. Allah Almighty has blessed the
Holy Rasool صَلَّی
اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ with ‘Uloom-e-Khamasah’ [عُلُومِ خمسہ] including the knowledge of
the specific time of the Judgement Day. The Greatest Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ
وَسَلَّمَ has been blessed with the knowledge of the affairs of all
living and non living beings as well as the knowledge of ‘مَا کَانَ’ (i.e. whatever
has happened) and ‘مَا یَکُوْنُ’ (i.e. whatever will happen). But in spite of this, the
knowledge of our Holy Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ is Haadis
[حَادِث] because
it has been bestowed by Allah Almighty; whereas Allah Almighty has knowledge
all by Himself and His knowledge is Qadeem [قَدِیْم]. The knowledge of the Holy
Rasool صَلَّی
اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ is not at all equal to that
of Allah Almighty. (Maqalaat-e-Kaazimi, vol. 2,
pp. 111; summarised)
Completion of the knowledge of the Holy Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ
وَسَلَّمَ
Remember!
The knowledge of our Beloved Nabi صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ continued
to increase as the Holy Quran was revealed. At last, when the revelation of the
entire Quran was completed, the knowledge of the Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ
وَسَلَّمَ was also completed. A’la Hadrat رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ stated: On the
basis of the Qat’iyyah Ayahs of the Holy Quran, I have proved that, by
gradually revealing the Holy Quran within the period of 23 years, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has blessed His Beloved
Rasool صَلَّی
اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ with the knowledge of ‘جَمِیْع مَاکَانَ وَ مَایَکُوْن’, i.e.
the knowledge of everything from the first day to the last. (Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 29, pp. 512)
Few important clarifications
Keep
in mind few clarifications regarding the Ghayb-knowledge of our Holy Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ
وَسَلَّمَ. اِنْ شَآءَ اللہ عَزَّوَجَلَّ, any
satanic whispers regarding the Ghayb-knowledge of the Holy Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ
وَسَلَّمَ will
be removed. Imam-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ stated:
1 Without doubt,
anyone other than Allah cannot have even an iota of knowledge all by himself.
This is one of the Zaruriyat-e-Deen [necessities of Islam]. One who denies it
is a disbeliever (i.e. if a person believes that anyone other than Allah has
even an iota of knowledge without being granted by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, then such a person is not a
Muslim).
2 Between the
Divine knowledge and the combined knowledge of all formers and latters people,
of Ambiya and Mursaleen, of angels there is even no such comparison as is the
comparison between millions of seas and a billionth drop of water! All of those
seas and a billionth drop of water are both limited; and something limited is
certainly compared with another limited thing but the knowledge of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ is
limitless and boundless. Even if the knowledge of creatures encompass the ‘Arsh,
the earth, the east, the west and the entire universe from the first day to the
last, but still the knowledge of creatures is limited. The ‘Arsh and the earth
are two limits; similarly, the first day and the last one are also two limits.
And anything within two limits is limited.
3 [Given here is a
summary of what A’la Hadrat رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ wrote]: In fact, the
knowledge of Allah Almighty is limitless and boundless. Hence it is impossible
for creatures to be granted all of the Divine knowledge. Therefore, when all
the combined knowledge of all creatures cannot even be compared with the Divine
knowledge in any way, so, مَعَاذَاللہِ, how can the knowledge of
creatures be equal to that of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ? One cannot even think of
it!
4 There is
consensus on the fact that blessed Ambiya عَلَیْہِ السَّلَام have knowledge of a large
number of Ghayb-related matters. This is also one of the Zaruriyat-e-Deen
[necessities of Islam]. One who denies it is a disbeliever because he is
actually denying Nubuwwah.
5 There is also
consensus on the fact that the share of this great Divine favour granted to
Muhammad-ur-Rasoolullah صَلَّی
اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ is perfect and greater than
those of all Ambiya عَلَیْہِ السَّلَام and everyone in the
universe. By the bestowment of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, the most Beloved Nabi صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ
وَسَلَّمَ has the knowledge of so many matters of Ghayb that it is only
Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ Who knows
them. (Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 29, pp. 450, 451;
summarised)
A faith-refreshing narration
Sayyiduna Anas Bin Maalik رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ stated:
After the sun started declining, the Holy Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ
وَسَلَّمَ came out, offered Salat-uz-Zuhr,
and, standing on the pulpit, he صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ mentioned
the Judgement Day and said, ‘Great matters are related to it’. Then he صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ
وَسَلَّمَ said, ‘One who wants to ask me about anything, he may do so.
And whatever you ask me, I will tell it to you at this place.’ Upon this,
people started crying uncontrollably. They cried very much and the Holy Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ
وَسَلَّمَ kept saying again and again, ‘Ask me’. Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin
Huzaafah [حُذَافَہ] Sahmi رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ stood up
and humbly said, ‘Who is my father?’ He صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ replied,
‘Your father is Huzaafah.’ Then he صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ kept
saying again and again, ‘Ask me’. Sayyiduna ‘Umar Farooq-e-A’zam رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ knelt and
humbly said, ‘We are pleased that Allah Almighty is our Lord, Islam is our
religion and Muhammad Mustafa صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ is our
Nabi.’ The Holy Rasool صَلَّی
اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ became silent. Then he صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ
وَسَلَّمَ said, ‘Heaven and Hell have just been presented to me in the
corner of this wall. I have not seen such a good thing and such a bad thing.’ (Sahih Bukhari, vol. 1, pp. 200, Hadees 540)
Read
about the Ghayb-knowledge of the Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ in the
light of the Holy Quran and blessed Ahadees in the next month issue.
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